Deciding on what kind of roof to use is one of the first considerations you have to make when building a house. The roof construction is one of the biggest expenses, up to 10% of the total budget. So, to avoid making decisions that you will regret, let's look at types of roofs available in the market.
Types of Roof
There are numerous options that you can choose. Here are some of them, including their advantages and disadvantages.
Metal Roof
The metal roof is one of the most popular types of roofs, especially the one produced using galvanized steel called Galvalume.
- (+) Easy installation
- (+) Light, durable, and not easy to rust
- (+) Can be used for virtually flat roof slope.
- (-) Room temperature tend to be hotter, but the problem can be solved using good interior design.
Ceramic Tile Roof
Ceramic tile roof has been popular roofing material since forever. Using clay as the raw material, ceramic tiles are easily mass-produced.
- (+) Room temperature tend to be cool
- (+) Widely available
- (-) Need special skillset for the installation.
- (-) Has a limited installation angle range.
Solar Panel Roof
Solar panel can be an option if we want to build a "greener" building.
- (-) Usually used as a part of the roof combined with other materials.
- (+) Can convert thermal energy into electrical energy
- (-) Very Expensive
- (-) Need special expertise and knowledge. The angle of effectiveness depends on the location.
Green Roof
On a small area, green roof can be an option to keep a garden.
- (+) Looks good if treated well.
- (-) Need proper biopory system or it can cause leaks.
- (-) Soil and plant maintenance must be done regularly.
- (-) Under bad conditions, the plants can rot.
Rubber Roof
Rubber roof produced with synthesis materials made this option quite interesting in the market.
- (-) Very easily damaged if not treated well
- (-) The surface tend to be slippery and need expertise for installation.
- (-) Extreme weather made the material easily damaged.
Slate Tile Roof
The roof with slate tile building material began to often we see in modern buildings and homes.
- (+) Looks modern and beautiful.
- (-) Very expensive.
- (-) Very heavy and will crack easily.
Plastic Roof
Plastic roof can be an option for some parts of the house that don't need strong roof.
- (+) Very cheap
- (+) Very light
- (-) Easily broken, have bad quality and endurance.
- (-) Easily fade or become yellowish
Sebenarnya masih banyak tipe-tipe atap lainnya yang biasa digunakan. Setiap desain dan kebutuhan rumah akan berbeda dan akan membutuhkan jenis atap yang berbeda pula. Di Indonesia, ada dua tipe yang cukup banyak digunakan, atap metal dan atap genteng keramik.
There are more types of roofs that are commonly used. Different designs will need different types of roofs. In Indonesia, there are two types of roofs that are often used, metal roof and ceramic tile.
Let's dig deeper on these two types.
Metal Roof vs Ceramic Tile Roof
Ceramic Tile Roof Choice Since Then
Ceramic tile roof has been used and trusted since the old days as a strong and long-lasting product. The room temperature inside houses and buildings that uses ceramic tile feels cool. This is because the material can keep the temperature and humidity inside the room.
Ceramic tile is made from heated clay, pressed to form tiles. One disadvantage of ceramic tiles is weight. Old houses with wooden roof frames often collapsed because the frames couldn't support the weight of the tiles.
It requires a certain skillset to install ceramic tiles on the roof.
Ceramic tiles are also very easily damaged. They require special attention from when they are on the storage, on transport, up to the installation process. Once they crack, it won't last long.
Ceramic tile installation also limited by the slope of the roof. The slope that is too upright will make the tile fall. On the other hand, if it's too flat, it will allow rainwater to seep in and leak into the house. Extreme weather can also shorten the tile's life. The continuous alternation between extreme hot and cold can cause cracks.
Metal Roof As a Modern Choice
Metal is now a popular alternative to ceramic tiles as it has more color options, models, and types. Metal roof is also more flexible.
Metal roof producers like Fumira use steel coated with Zinc and Alumunium. Zinc made the roof durable and not easily rusted. Meta roof is light and can withstand extreme weather. This roof is also known as Galvanized Roof or Galvalume Roof.
The installation is quite easy and can be done by a novice who knows how to use simple tools.
The metal roof is also easy on the angle. You can use it from the flat roof to almost any angle possible.
But metal roof is not without its flaws. Other than conducting the heat to the interior during the bright sunny day, it will also transfer the noise from the rain. But those flaws can be solved with good design, good ventilation, and additional supporting layers to reduce heat and noise.
During the production, galvanizing is the key to metal roof long lasting life. Good layering will guarantee its defense against rust, even under extreme weather. Fumira is the expert in giving layers to steel plates, not only used for roof, but also for refrigerator, AC, oven, and even cars.
Which one to choose?
There's no such thing as the perfect product, but we can choose the best one according to our needs. There are several things to consider:
- Is the roof type fit the design?
- Can the roof stand the environment and weather condition?
- How good the quality and the durability?
- How big is the budget?
While creamic tiles are still the logical choice for houses in Indonesia, metal roof types are gaining their popularity because of the advantages. Some of the advantages are: easy installation, light maintenance, more flexible, lighter, and more durable.
Among many roofing types, Fumira's trusted and reliable products can be the first ones on our list.